Little Rock @ NC State preview

North Carolina State made it through a stretch of three games in seven days and had some time to catch its breath this week prior to a matchup against visiting Little Rock on Saturday. The Wolfpack defeated Alcorn State 87-64 on Tuesday and have won four straight since a season-opening overtime loss to Georgia Tech as coach Kevin Keatts told reporters: "I think we are moving in the right direction.''

Keatts' tight rotation is led by senior guard C.J. Bryce, who paces N.C. State in scoring and rebounding. "I’m playing eight guys right now, and all eight guys could be starters,'' Keatts told reporters. "So, the three guys that are coming off the bench, they’ve been tremendous. Our bench is scoring just as much as the guys starting the game." The Trojans are coming off a 68-58 loss to No. 20 Memphis on Wednesday that was marred by 26 turnovers including 10 by sophomore guard and leading scorer Markquis Nowell, who has played all but one minute this season. "We had our chances, but I don't care who you are playing - if you turn the ball over 26 times, you're not going to win the game," Little Rock coach Darrell Walker told reporters. "It's frustrating because we put ourselves in a position to make a statement but just couldn't get it done."

TV: 1 p.m. ET, No TV

ABOUT LITTLE ROCK (3-2): Nowell (20.2 points, team-high 5.2 assists per game) also recorded 16 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists Wednesday, and was 10th nationally entering Friday with 3.6 steals. Sophomore Kamani Johnson (7.4 rebounds) recorded his first double-double with 10 points and 11 boards against Memphis, and also matched a career high with four assists. Junior guard Ben Coupet Jr. (13.6 points, seven rebounds) and junior forward Ruot Monyyong (11.6, eight boards) have also contributed to the club's plus-6.4 rebounding margin - the best in the Sun Belt Conference.

ABOUT N.C. STATE (4-1): Bryce recorded seven points, six boards and five assists last time out, and averages 17.6 points along with eight rebounds while shooting 60.3 percent from the field. Senior guard Markell Johnson (9.5 points, 7.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds) made 7-of-14 from the floor Tuesday after starting the season 8-for-35 while contributing 16 points and eight assists. Junior guard Devon Daniels (15.2 points) scored 23 versus Alcorn State - his most in a Wolfpack uniform since transferring from Utah prior to 2018-19 - and has reached double figures in every game this season.

TIP-INS

1. N.C. State's eight-man rotation has played 994 of a possible 1,025 minutes.

2. The Trojans are shooting 27.3 percent from 3-point range - 305th among the 350 Division I teams.

3. Wolfpack freshman F Manny Bates has collected 19 blocks in his first five games, which was tied for second in the country entering Friday.

PREDICTION: N.C. State 76, Little Rock 69